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4
Basal
S. Likhitekaraj
Stem Rotand
of Oil
A. Palm
Tummakate
in Thailand

Basal Stem Rot of Oil Palm in 4

Thailand Caused by Ganoderma
S. Likhitekaraj and A. Tummakate
Division of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Department of
Agriculture, Bangkok, Thailand

Introduction
Oil palm has been cultivated on a commercial scale since 1968 in Satul and
Krabi provinces of Thailand. Since then cultivation has spread to the provinces
of Surat Thani, Trang and Chumphon, involving both private sectors and
government agencies. Most of the areas were planted on newly cleared land
(from the forest) and currently basal stem rot (BSR) is not a serious problem.
Likhitekaraj (1993) reported the occurrence of BSR on 20-year-old oil-palm
trees in a plantation in Krabi province. Two palm trees out of 2000 trees in the
plantation showed typical symptoms, having fruiting bodies of the fungus on
the stem near the ground, but the fronds remained green. Cross-sections of the
infected trunks revealed that only one side of the trunk had rotted but the other
side appeared normal. Now, most of the oil-palm plantations are more than 20
years old. Close observations have been made every 4 months to determine the
incidence of BSR.

Methods
Surveys of the incidence of diseased trees are made every 4 months in the
following locations (each location contains 2000 palm trees):
1. A plot replanted on an old plot in Chumphon province which was
destroyed by Typhoon Gay. The destroyed trees were cut down and chipped
into small pieces by tractors before replanting.

©CAB International 2000. Ganoderma Diseases of Perennial Crops

(eds J. Flood, P.D. Bridge and M. Holderness) 69

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70 S. Likhitekaraj and A. Tummakate

2. A replanted plot in Krabi province. The old trees of this plot were killed by
chemical injection. New seedlings were planted between the rows of dead trees.
The replanted plants were 1 year old when this study started.
3. A block of 20-year-old palms in a plantation in Satul province.

Results
1. After two annual observations there is no evidence of BSR on the planted
seedlings (3 years old) in the first location.
2. After two annual observations, no BSR appears on young replanted palms
in the second location, but the old stumps of killed trees have fruiting bodies of
Ganoderma. The latest estimate is that 23.8% of the 2000 stumps show
Ganoderma fruiting bodies. The incidence of the sporophores increases every
time a survey is conducted.
3. The 20-year-old palms in Satul province show no evidence of BSR.

Conclusions
After 2 years’ observation on 3-year-old palms in replantings and on 20-
year-old palms, at three locations, no symptoms of BSR have been observed,
with the exception of the development of sporophores at a location in
Krabi province. The surveys will be continued for many years on the three
plantations in order to monitor the development of the disease.

Reference
Likhitekaraj, S. (1993) Stem Rot. Important Disease of Oil Palm. Annual Report of Plant
Pathology and Microbiology Division, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of
Agriculture and Cooperative, Thailand.

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